The Piano
by krustykrabpizza
Summary: St. Berry fanfic, Rachel realizes how much Jesse means to her, and maybe things will work out?
1. The Piano

Rachel tried her best to ignore the nagging in the back of her head. 'Jesse' it screamed, and mentally she told it to shut the hell up.

The egging was traumatic, and would forever be etched into her brain. It would be there when she ate, slept, and most unfortunately, sang. Of course there were many incredible heart-break ballads available to sing, but even Rachel Berry, queen of the ballad, was growing tired of the monotonous 'I Will Always Love You' that played without rest in her brain.

She forced herself to concentrate on the rhythmic beat of her of her Mary Jane's on the concrete of the library parking lot, and not on the sweet, gorg-wait no, incredibly disgusting face of a certain lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline.

And much to Rachel's dismay, the thump, thump, thump, eventually turned into a Jesse, Jesse, Jesse.

She did not have time for this reveling, she needed to get new sheet music because, after just a bit of sweet-talking Mr. Schue, he eventually gave in and decided to give her an extra solo for sectionals. The solo rightfully belonged to her anyway, she thought. She was by far the most talented singer in glee club.

The small brunette pushed open the glass doors and hurried inside the warm building. It really was getting chilly. Rachel remembered how it felt to have Jesse hold her when she was cold. Casually she would mention the declining temperature; he would smirk – the smirk that made her swoon – and wrap his arms around her, cuddling her tiny frame into his chest. They would stay like that for a while, until eventually the cuddling would become kissing, kissing would become making-out, and making-out became, well, nothing more than that. Nevertheless, she remembered it fondly.

Before she could tell herself not to, Rachel found herself looking through the Lionel Richie section.

"Dammit, J-" she said aloud, although she couldn't say his name without having a flood of emotions wash over her.

She put the sheet music back and continued down the aisle. She passed Queen, Parton, Osbourne, and eventually made her way to Aguilera without finding a single piece that she felt motivated enough to sing.

At the end of the corridor she saw the piano. The mahogany Kawai piano that changed everything. The piano that started something great, or at least at the time, seemed like something great.

She had to get out of there. She shielded her eyes from anything else that could possibly remind her of 14 raw eggs being thrown at her by a series of heartless singers in a disgusting shade of blue.

She didn't want to admit to herself that part of her, as hidden as it was, was still entirely in love with the blue eyes, curly locks of mouse brown hair, and lips that tasted like peppermint. Unfortunately, all of the parts that she loved were connected to something so terrible she couldn't come to terms with it. She should hate him. She should _loathe _him, but a small part of her wanted everything to be back to normal. They would walk to glee club together, hand in hand, on top of the world. With all their strength, they would try their best to bear Mr. Schue's terribly beginner class and deal with the imbeciles that attended. After, they would sneak to his incredibly expensive Range Rover, have a quick make-out session, and he would drop her off at home. It was a routine she'd come to absolutely adore.

In all of this debating with herself, she hadn't thought about how she would get home. She didn't have many friends, and her dads were on a date night. She decided to call Finn. Things were a bit rocky between them, but he couldn't deny her a ride home at the very least. She wasn't too sure if it was legal for Finn to be driving after dark, but this worry didn't seem to compare to, what it seemed, the never-ending battle in her head.

She punched speed dial number three and waited for Finn to pick up.

Ring one.

Ring two.

Ring three.

Four.

Five.

"Hey, it's Finn. I'm busy right now, but leave a message and maybe I'll get back to you."

Frustrated, she hung up and started walking home. She had to get back somehow.

So far, the walk home was not much different from it had been in the parking lot. She couldn't stop thinking about Jesse. It had been a week. It was time to let it go. She breathed in deep and tried to clear her mind of anything negative. She breathed deep again. And again. And again, and wa-. Wait what? A dark vehicle slowed down behind her. In these situations, its best to keep walking, Rachel recalled. She quickened her pace and tried her best not to look behind her. Most unfortunate though, the vehicle pressed on.


	2. The Car

**Note/Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any characters from Glee. God knows if I did it would be an entirely different story.**

**So basically I wrote this part in like an hour, but I actually really like it so I'm just gonna wing it and see what happens.**

Rachel swore she heard someone call her name, but still, she didn't dare look back. If she were killed now, then the glee club would be in peril and she couldn't have that. She needed all the glory. Silently she thanked herself for carrying a rape whistle just in case.

"Rachel" she heard again, and instantly she knew who it was.

"I do not want, nor have time speak with you, Jesse. I need to get home. Go to the store and buy some eggs or something, you're out."

"Rachel, get in the car. I'll take you home" the sweet voice answered.

"I am not getting in the car! I don't want to be around you at all! Just get out of here! How did you even find me here? Are you stalking me? Because surely you can get in big trouble for that, get kicked out of Vocal Adrenaline, then they would lose Regionals and the New Directions would win. So your stupid games are our personal gain. Besides, your seats are probably very unsanitary from all the girls you've had in there. Ugh."

To her surprise, he chuckled. She had to restrain herself from smiling. "Rachel, I'm not stalking you. We simply just ran into each other, and I'm offering a simple ride. It's freezing. Get in."

She swore under her breath and reluctantly climbed into the SUV.

"Good. So uh, how are you?" he asked, seeming unsure of himself.

"By 'how are you' do you mean 'have you gotten all the egg out of your hair?' And if that is your question, the answer is no. You and your team are nothing if not thorough." She sighed. "I just have one question though, Jesse. Why the hell would you do it? What would possess you to make you want to throw eggs at me? Was it Vocal Adrenaline? Or are you simply just that mean?"

"Rachel." He opened his mouth as to say something else, but nothing more came out.

"I knew it. Let me out. I can't stand to look at you." She unbuckled and started to open the door, but Jesse locked it before she could. "Jesse!" she screeched.

"Calm down. Geez, Rachel. Have some patience." He stayed silent for a minute and then continued. "I didn't want to throw eggs at you. God knows it. I was dead set against it. What I told you before I cracked the egg over your head-" he stopped, as if trying to come to terms with what he'd done. "was true. I did love you…I still do."

Rachel gasped, and he quickly continued before she could respond. "Everyone was pressuring me. Saying I was falling for you and that I wasn't really part of the team. At first, you and I dating was just a game. But I really fell for you, Rachel. I love your drama. You're an absolutely phenomenal singer. We have amazing chemistry, you have to admit. Plus you're so gorgeous, and a genuinely good person. But Vocal Adrenaline wouldn't have it. They couldn't stand to see me love something that wasn't them. That pushed them over the edge. It was either you, or everything I'd ever worked for. And unfortunately, I made the wrong decision. And I regret that every day that you're not with me."

He turned his head to look at her face in the moonlight. "Rachel say something" he pressed.

"Jesse, I- JESSE! LOOK AT THE ROAD!"


	3. The Blonde

All clichés aside, it really did happen all too fast.

Rachel would strain to remember, when she felt up to remembering at all. Dim lights whizzing past, her own unceasing screams as she groped for the wheel, and the terrifying crash that changed everything. Changed everything more than that piano had two long months ago.

Now, three weeks later, things were a bit foggy. Sometimes she got the events mixed up. Dim screams, unceasing crash, terrifying lights. But eventually it comes back to her.

Most times Rachel doesn't want to think about it. She doesn't want to think of being hustled into an ambulance, still conscious well Jesse lay heartbreakingly still on the bloody hospital gurney by her side.

Rachel had been released from the hospital within three days. To her fathers, three days were not nearly enough in the healing process for their immaculate daughter, but Rachel thought completely otherwise and relished in the idea of getting the hell out of there.

Jesse had now been in a coma for exactly three weeks. She thought about how things might have been if he were paying attention to the road in front of him and not to her. She might have forgiven him right then and there. She might have ordered him to stop driving and to kiss her. What a great idea. But unfortunately, most great ideas don't turn out that well. Take Tina's new haircut for example. _God, what a mess! _Rachel thought to herself. She was pleased with herself that she could think of things other than Jesse.

Maybe she would visit him today. Yeah, she would visit him! She definitely would. Somehow, as soon as she stepped through the doors to his room, his eyes would miraculously flutter open, he would call out a desperate cry to her, she would run to his side and they would carefully embrace. And of course, they would sing a heartbreakingly perfect ballad about this atrocious experience. She was traumatized, but she was Rachel Berry. And being Rachel Berry, there was always room for a song.

She begged one of her dads to drive her to the hospital. The begging was really unnecessary actually, as her dads spoiled her completely and would do whatever she wanted on a whim. She boarded the minivan and checked that she was buckled at least six times.

She took a deep breath before she got out of the car. Hesitantly, she told her father she'd only be a couple of minutes and trudged to the hospital doors. She told the receptionist who she was and was soon lead to Jesse's room, even though she knew exactly where it was located.

Of course Rachel expected it to be only her visiting. Jesse was unbelievably popular sure, but she really didn't know if people loved him for him, or for his talent. Nevertheless, Rachel was surprised when she noticed an average sized blonde with a baby bump napping in the chair beside her love's bed.


	4. The Night

**I don't own Glee yet, but I'm working on it.**

**Talks a bit from another perspective so yeah. REBELLIOUS WRITER I AM.**

**Oh, and thank you all for the positive reviews! (:**

**Reviews make Abbey a very happy author.**

Rachel didn't believe what her eyes were showing her. She didn't trust them, it couldn't be true. But alas, she noticed every minute detail of the girls face, and knew that she was really there.

Even though the girl was sleeping, Rachel was too unbelievably curious as not to say anything. "Uh, Quinn?"

Even though Rachel knew the girl probably wouldn't answer, she pressed on, even louder. "Quinn, what are you doing here?"

To Rachel's complete surprise, the very pregnant blonde awoke with a start.

"Whoa, umm err. Hey, Rachel. I lost track of time, err, I should be heading out, see you...in ah, glee club." Quinn said, quickly gathering her things. She tried to run out, but her pregnant belly wouldn't let her go as fast as she would have liked. She eventually made it to the door, and left without another word of explanation.

_What? _Was all Rachel could think. _Quinn? _Quinn and Jesse had never even spoken before. Plus she was pretty sure that most of the glee club hated him due to suspicion, and he had proven them correct, which would only make them more hateful. It all didn't make any sense. Rachel was completely Quinn was still not over Puck as well, as she noticed them glancing at each other without cease, which only made the whole situation that much more confusing.

Quinn sprinted, well, _tried _to sprint back to her car. _Oh crap! _She thought as she climbed inside her Cadillac. That little brunette bitch was always getting in the way of things. In the way of her and Finn. In the way of her and Puck. In the way of Quinn hiding her pregnancy. Quinn loathed Rachel with almost as much passion as she lusted after Jesse a month before.

She hadn't meant for it to turn into anything. They simply bumped into each other at the mall. Old acquaintances, meeting one another once more. Coincidentally they were both in the Victoria's Secret. Jesse no doubt buying something for one of his many hookups, whereas Quinn was looking for something special for herself to wear after she had Beth. They exchanged casual hellos, how do you do's, and nice weather today's. But soon found themselves submerged into a scorching debate about who was the better band, The Stones or the Beatles. Obviously Quinn won, since the Beatles were the best band of all time, and Jesse, with some reluctance, eventually agreed. But their debate was not the only thing that was scorching. Quinn swore you could cut the sexual tension between the pair with a knife. And after Jesse hit on her with a line she could tell he had used many times, naturally, she gave in and well, you know where it goes from there.

But afterwards, she noticed something different, a change in his usual 'I'm so much better than you' bravado. Jesse didn't excuse her to leave from his car, he simply and sweetly held her there, occasionally kissing her forehead or rubbing her back. Okay, maybe he did that with all girls, to make them feel wanted, she supposed. But this time, it really did feel like he meant it. Maybe it was only her feeling lonely without Puck, but nonetheless, she enjoyed it. It was a bit awkward at first, her stomach getting in the way in all, but they worked around it.

Quinn drove home, reminiscing on that amazing night, but suddenly something caught her attention. Why was Rachel there anyway? Didn't she hate Jesse? She had whined constantly in glee club the day she was egged. 'Son of a bitch this, son of a bitch that.' Were they together again? No. Quinn could most definitely rule that out. Reason one because Rachel was a stubborn little twat, and reason two, Jesse was so much better than her. Better looking, more talented, and probably a heck of a lot better in the sack.


	5. The Confrontation

**I do not own Glee or any characters from it, unfortunately.**

**I apologize for this being super late, I have been really busy. (Or at least I say I am. Mostly I've been on tumblr)**

**I must say that I have no idea where this story is going, so it might take a while before any real storyline develops. xD**

**Reviews make Abbey a happy author, obviously.**

It had been two weeks since the run in with Quinn at the hospital, and Rachel had not returned since. Her suspicions were too high to see Jesse. All she could think about would be Quinn, of course.

But now that Jesse was out of the coma and was at home, Rachel decided she would visit him and would casually bring up the subject of Quinn sleeping in his hospital room. Or not so casually. Either way, she would get her point across.

She got her dads to drop her off at Jesse's huge house, in which he lived alone most of the time. Rachel confidently stomped up to Jesse's polished, custom-made, front door. After the second ring, a woman in her young 20's opened the door wearing a French-maid dress. Whatever. Rachel pushed by her and thundered down the hallway to Jesse's bedroom. I guess she was going to do this not so casually.

"Jesse!" she yelled as soon as she saw him lying against his bedpost, arms behind his head in a disgustingly egotistical way of saying hello.

"Rachel, baby, could you not be so loud. I'm in recovery you know." He replied, with his famous' I'-I-can-do-anything' smirk.

"Ugh, Jesse! First and foremost, do not call me baby. Second, do not try to play the whole situation off as if you don't know what's going on. I saw Quinn there at the hospital! Why the hell was she there, Jesse? Did you have sex with her too? I apologize for not _supplying _to you." Rachel said without falter in her voice. She stood her ground and didn't fidget as she stared Jesse in the eye. Her stance demanded an immediate answer, and gosh darn, she was going to get it.

"Rachel, ba- uh, Rachel. I didn't have sex with Quinn. She and I have been talking lately. She was feeling lonely, so I comforted her. We became friends. Nothing more than that, I swear to you, Rachel." Jesse replied with as much sincerity as he could muster.

Rachel didn't look convinced. "You expect me to believe that you were just _comforting _the prettiest girl in our entire school who just so happens to have the reputation of easy to get into bed with? Sounds, legit, Jesse." She rolled her puppy-dog eyes at him.

Jesse stood up and gently walked over to Rachel, who was on the verge of tears. A bit dramatic, Jesse thought. But that was Rachel for you, and he loved her too much to say anything. The thing with Quinn didn't even happen, as far as he was concerned. Okay, maybe he had felt something when they were doing _it, _but all of that disappeared as soon as he saw Rachel walking home from the library that day so long ago. Jesse was feeling depressed because Shelby criticized his performance during Vocal Adrenaline's 47th time practicing 'Bohemian Rhapsody' for regionals and Quinn was ever hormonal because of her pregnancy. The two weren't in love with each other, just in love with the fact that they had each other to be with. At least, he hoped it was nothing for Quinn like it was nothing for him.

He wrapped his arms around Rachel, ignoring her weak attempts to push him off. "It was nothing, Rachel. I have no feelings for Quinn, and she has no feelings for me. But as for my feelings for you, they are very much alive." He shined that little half smile that he knew would drive her crazy.

Rachel tried to stay angry, but she just couldn't. She slumped into his arms and breathed against his chest. She believed him. Or at least for now.

"Wait, Jesse. Who was that lady who opened your door?" she asked skeptically.

"Rachel, I thought you didn't love me anymore. I had to have something nice to look at."

Rachel ignored how just like a man he sounded, and went back to hugging him. She returned to herself quickly enough to snap at him to get rid of her. And he did, as he would do anything for Rachel at that moment.

Jesse couldn't let Rachel find out about the thing with Quinn though. Or the thing with Santana. Crap, or Kurt.


End file.
